Community says many are moving because of lack of opportunities

What it means: Muhd Nasrullah (left) interpreting Khairy’s speech to the deaf during the ceramah at Kota Emas business centre in Pontian.

PONTIAN: There are about 1,500 Indians staying in the Tanjung Piai constituency with 538 of them being local voters.

Most of them are living in the Pekan Nanas area and working in factories and also doing odd jobs.There is hardly anyone in the plantation or fishing sectors.

A sizeable 30% to 40% are presently employed in Singapore and they commute almost daily to the Island Republic.

Although working in Singapore helps them earn in dollars which is three times more due to currency exchange, their quality of life is compromised.

Those working in a factory in Singapore will be able to take home about S$1,000 (RM3,040) to S$1,200 (RM3,648) per month.

However, many of them wake up as early as 4am to commute or ride motorcycles into Singapore. If they can return home before 8pm, it is considered their lucky day.

Local resident V. Madasamy said a huge amount of time was wasted on the road due to the jams at the Second Link crossings during peak hours.

“Although Pekan Nanas is only 20 minutes away from the border crossing, the jams are really bad these days, ” he said, adding that many were moving out of the area due to the lack of job opportunities.

The 58-year-old said that his son, a university graduate, was unable to get a job and settled for a factory operator job in Singapore as the family needed him to be with them.While there were many light industries in Pekan Nanas, Madasamy claimed employers seemed to prefer to employ candidates of other races.

Apart from a lack of jobs, many in this constituency are also lamenting the rising cost of living.

“Everything has gone up. It is not easy to raise a family these days as everything is expensive, ” lamented English tutor R. Gayathri, 31, also a local voter.

In this by-election, all six candidates including those from Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional are doing their best to woo the Indian voters as they believe each vote counts.

The parties are also trying their best to woo about 200 Indian voters residing outside the constituency to come back and vote.

However, the Indians want answers and solutions to a host of issues.

Among the issues not yet resolved are the delays in opening three completed Tamil primary schools.

They are SJK(T) Tun Dr Ismail in Simpang Renggam, SJK(T) Bandar Sri Alam in Johor Baru and SJK(T) Ladang Niyor in Kluang.

Other issues include the appointment of the Johor Mentri Besar’s special representative for Indians in the state.

State MIC chief R. Vidyanathan pointed out the RM1.4mil project to build a complex to perform the last rites for Hindus in Pasir Gudang had also been delayed for more than two years.

The Kahang assemblyman added it was also disappointing that last year, the Pakatan state government allocated only a meagre RM3mil for the community, he added.

Barisan is out to remind voters that during their time, the Indians got a better deal and allocations up to RM8mil annually.

Pakatan’s report card shows it has been successful in filling up two key positions reserved for Indians in the state education department, and are trying to get the three Tamil schools open before the next school term.

Local Pakatan leaders admitted there was a need to do more.

Johor Unity, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Dr S. Ramakrishnan said that next year, two of the affected schools in Kluang and Sri Alam would be taking in students in the new school term.He added that they would then focus on the school in Simpang Renggam.

He hoped for more allocations in the state budget for the community, adding his priority was to use the funds to help provide skills training for the community including having coding programmes and robotics in Tamil schools.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal is expected to table Johor Budget 2020 at the state assembly on Nov 21.

There is much anticipation from the Indian community in the state including those from Tanjung Piai for a better deal this time around.- Star